The Tale of Sir Tribonius
by Tatsu-Dreamer
Summary: A new knight to add to King Artur's Table
1. Note

Note*  

            The story of king Arthur and his knights of the round table is not mine, nor am I making a profit off of these characters.  Tribonius, however is my own creation.


	2. chapter 1 The Begining

The honorable knight Sir Gareth, after his marriage to Lady Lyoness, went to see Merlin about what had been troubling his thoughts.  Camelot was beautiful in every area except when you reached the dark and dreary dungeons below.  Sir Gareth entered these chambers with dread.  He wished Merlin would move into the laboratory Arthur had built in the main part of the castle.  This place smelled of ages of torture now stopped by Arthur and his reign.  Sir Gareth stood at the entrance in silence and heard the tortured screams trapped in the walls for the rest of eternity.  He hurried on now shaken with pity for the poor souls.  Sir Gareth found Merlin sitting at the head of a long table.  The Wizard was busy concocting a spell when Sir Gareth arrived.  Sir Gareth looked to his right and saw many jars with herbs, powders, and unrecognizable parts.  Over to his left he saw shelves full of spell books and scrolls all jumbled together in a complicated organization.  Merlin stopped murmuring and Sir Gareth looked back to the old wizard.  Merlin looked up and looked back to the scroll that was before him and said, "I know why you are here Sir Gareth.  You are troubled by dreams at night but you cannot remember them to tell what is wrong.  I cannot tell you what is wrong in your dreams, but I can tell you how to stop it.  Saddle your horse and ride to the west for two days with no rest.  You will come upon a village.  In this village will be an orphaned young boy.  You must take him for your squire."

                Sir Gareth looked puzzled and confused.  Merlin glanced up and smiled.  Sir Gareth was about to say something, but Merlin waved his hand to silence him, and said, "Have faith good knight.  Men can not always know why they are supposed to do the things they do."  Merlin went back to work.  Sir Gareth was still puzzled by Merlin's knowledge of the past, present, and future.  He was still wondering this when Merlin looked back up and said, "You need to head out on your journey sir knight."

                Bowing Sir Gareth said, "Thank you for your guidance wise Merlin."  He turned around and left the laboratory.


	3. Chpater 2 Becoming a Squire

                A band of six robbers was in a group outside their hideout in the forest that bordered the outskirts of Solencia.  Their leader, called Wareth, was at the center of the circle with his knife pulled out.  He was saying, "Those wretched villagers are getting bolder again.  This time we won't settle with destroying their leaders we will burn down their homes and kill whom ever tries to stand in our way."  Wareth shouted as he raised his knife above his head.  With this, the band yelled and rose to their feet.  They headed out of their clearing to raid the tiny village.  

                They arrived as they had for the last three years.  They came in from the west side of town, and traveled to the well using the main road.  The ancient one of the village, called Dalmar, was waiting for them at the well with a young boy standing next to him.  Dalmar was very weak and leaned on the boy for support.  The robbers reached the well.  Wareth stepped forward drew his sword and said, "For years I have been lenient with my demands from your puny village, but you have been cheating me.  The grain has been moldy and the chickens have been lean.  This time we will teach you to not cheat us."

                The rest of the band pulled out torches and lit them one by one.  Dalmar tried to convince the robbers that they were mistaken, but Wareth stepped forward and thrust his sword into Dalmar.  The young boy cried out and helped Dalmar to the ground.  He yelled for the elders to help him save Dalmar.  It was in vain.  Dalmar reached up to the boy.  The boy looked down with tears running down his face.  The boy pleaded, "Please Dalmar, Please don't leave me.  You were my father, my guide.  I can't…"

                Dalmar said, "Shhhhh My boy.  There will be a new guardian to teach you.  I have taught you all that I know.  My life was full and plenty.  I am ready to go.  Do not worry.  I am going to a better place."  Dalmar's hand dropped and his eyes closed.  He was dead.  The boy leaned over Dalmar and cried.  The rest of the village elders now surrounded them by the well.  All were silent in mourning.  

                The robbers then started to fan out.  The boy looked up with tears streaming down his face.  He got up and with his blood stained hands started pounding on Wareth's chest.  The Wareth threw him to the ground and redrew his sword.  The boy got back up and ran for Wareth again.  This time Wareth took a step sideways and hit the boy forward with the flat of his blade.  The boy tumbled to the ground.  All the robbers now surrounded the two and watched the spectacle with glee.

                Time after time, the boy rushed and missed.  Finally, Wareth got bored and said, "Enough now you will die."

                Wareth raised his sword.  The boy lay on the ground crunched up in a little ball.  Wareth brought down his sword.  It was about to hit the boy when someone grabbed Wareth's  hands and whirled him around.  The stranger wore plated armor with the unmistakable logo, the lion of King Arthur.  Wareth said, "Knight of the round table of King Arthur go away.  This does not concern you."

                The strange knight replied, "This, thief, concerns me.  You see you cannot harm a young defenseless boy when a knight is around.  I will honor my code and defend the weak and helpless.  As you can see this boy falls under both categories."

                Wareth roared in fury and turned to face the knight.  The battle was short and soon Wareth was dead.  The rest of the robbers threw down their torches, not having burned a piece of straw, and lunged for the knight.  The knight, though out numbered, was victorious.  The knight had a small cut through the chain mail that covered his arm and some dents in his breastplate and helmet.  The knight, however, was not even short of breath.  The knight took off his helmet, faced the boy, and said, "I will help you up.  Now why were those robbers making a game of you?"

                The boy accepted the knight's help and brushed himself off while he said, "Thank you good knight.  May I ask of your name?"

                The knight replied, "Yes of course, I am Sir Gareth, Knight of the Round Table," taking a small bow.

                The boy replied, "Sir Gareth, I am happy that you came when you did, but the damage was already done.  They had already killed Dalmar, my guardian."  The boy motioned to the body now covered with a cloak and fresh tears fell down his face.

                Sir Gareth, after a moment of silent respect, said, "I wish to speak to the new leader of your village.  I have ridden for two days to the west of Camelot to find this village.  I am on a quest and seek assistance of your leader."

                The next in line to the ancient one, Elistan stepped forward and bowed to Sir Gareth, "I am the new head of the village.  I am called Elistan.  What is it you wish to discuss with me Sir Gareth?"

                "I have been sent by Merlin to seek out this village and find a young orphaned boy, who I will take as my squire."

                "I know of but one orphaned boy in our village.  He is the boy you saved this morning.  Tribonius come here," said the new ancient one.

                Tribonius came from behind the new ancient one his eyes open in wonder.  He looked up to Elistan and said, "Dalmar said I would have a new guardian soon.  I believe he knew this man would come.  May I go and be his squire?"

                Elistan looked down and smiling said, "This choice is not for me.  You must do what you want to do.  This is your destiny."

                The boy looked around at the villagers with a puzzled look.  He then looked to Sir Gareth.  Tribonius smiled and said, "Sir Gareth I would be honored to be your squire."

                Sir Gareth smiled and said, "Then go get your stuff ready and we will leave when you are ready."

                Tribonius bowed and ran to his house.  Returning with his bundle, he said his goodbyes.  Then, Tribonius got on the horse behind Sir Gareth and started off East to Camelot.


	4. chapter 3 The First Test

                Tribonius and Sir Gareth reached Camelot to find Merlin waiting beyond the gates for them.  Merlin waited for them to approach.  When Sir Gareth and Tribonius dismounted Merlin walked over and said, "Welcome home Sir Gareth.  I see you found Tribonius all right.  Welcome Tribonius."  

Tribonius looked in awe at the old man that stood in front of him.  "Tribonius this is Merlin.  He is a great wizard who knows all," said Sir Gareth."  So don't lie to him," he whispered into Tribonius' ear.

"I heard that Sir Gareth." called Merlin.

                "Hello great Merlin.  I have heard many stories about you and Arthur," said Tribonius.

                "Well I hope it was nothing bad." Replied Merlin with a laughter in his voice.

                The group started walking to the stables to put up the horses as they talked.  "Tribonius tell us how you came to be an orphan in your village," said Merlin.

                "And tell us about the robbers also," added Sir Gareth.

                "Well the robbers started coming around about two years ago and demanded tribute to them for keeping our village safe.  The robbers numbered about twenty at first, so no one really resisted until my father took control.  He started leading groups against the robbers.  The robbers had heavy losses but so did we.  During one raid, the robbers came to our house, took my mother, and left me unconscious on the floor.  When my father returned home, he woke me and asked what happened.  He left that night by himself to get my mother back.  The next morning Wareth, their leader, came back with my father dragging behind his horse.  He left, dropping my father as he rode off back to the woods.  We went over to see if my father was alive.  He had his throat cut and in his hand was a lock of my mother's hair," Tribonius, about to cry, paused.  "I vowed that I would avenge my father's death.  Now his death has been avenged by you Sir Gareth.  Thank you."

                The horses were now put in the stable, and the three were walking to the castle training grounds.  When they arrived, Sir Gareth showed Tribonius to all the present knights and trainers.

                The next day, Tribonius began his job as a squire.  Tribonius learned quickly how to fight and how to help his master with training and errands.  Not only did Tribonius learn the art of the sword, but Merlin also taught him some of the art of magic.  Tribonius was a fast learner and always wanted to know more.

Ten years had passed and Tribonius was two weeks away from the test that would make him a knight.  Sir Gareth was sitting in the training grounds showing Tribonius more effective defense moves.  Tribonius pulled them off with a skilled ease.  Sir Gareth had full confidence that Tribonius would pass the tests.  Sir Gareth said, "No, No, No, You must keep your eyes up and on your enemies eyes if you are fighting without armor.  His eyes will give away what he will do next."  Tribonius did his move again, and shaking his head Sir Gareth got up to face Tribonius.  "Watch my eyes.  You see my eyes give away where my sword is.  In addition, when you fight someone with the same technique you give away no secrets.  Yes, that's it.  Good."  They trained for a little longer and then Sir Gareth said, "That is enough for today.  Go fetch some fish from the river."

"Yes sir," replied Tribonius as he took off his sword belt and put it away.  He then ran through the gates to the river.  "Why do I always have to get the fish?  I would much rather be training with Sir Gareth or Merlin, or reading the Merlin's tomes and volumes," he complained as he reached the river.  On his way back, he noticed that Camelot was too quite.  He entered the gates and saw a wizard in the middle of the castle.  The mage had brought King Arthur and the knights to kneel before him.  The wizard spoke, "Merlin where are you?  Will you not save you precious king and his knights?"

Merlin's voice echoed from everywhere yet nowhere, "I will save them when they need my help. Loran, you are no threat to them."

"Of course I am a threat old man.  Why won't you face me?" asked Loran.

"This is not my fight.  I will not be needed," replied Merlin.

With this response, Loran cried out in rage and started casting a spell towards Sir Gareth.  Tribonius heard in his mind Merlin say, "You can save them Tribonius.  Use your knowledge and your wits."

Tribonius came out from behind the crates where he was hiding and called out his magical spell.  When Loran fired his fireball at Sir Gareth it bounced easily off a shield of magic.  Loran cursed and fired at the entire group.  It was of no use.  Loran cried out, "Who dares to defy me, the great Loran?"

"I do," cried a voice.  Loran turned to see a boy standing defiantly behind him.  "You will not harm them, or anyone ever again."  Tribonius then spoke a single word and he was standing in front of Loran with a sword drawn.  He plunged the sword killing Loran.  Then he went over to the knights and lifted the spell Loran used to bind them.

Arthur said, "Young Tribonius, you have proven yourself worthy of the title of Sir Knight Tribonius.  Kneel.  I King Arthur of Camelot hereby knight this brave lad who has saved us all."

Sir Knight Tribonius began his life as a knight full of many adventures and quests.  

Nevertheless, this is how it all began.


End file.
